Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-12
CHAT ABOUT DRUGS.
A FEW OF THE MEDICINES THAT PATIENTS HAVE TO SWALLOW.


 What Physician Has to say-Appli.
 cations of the Most Important Drugs.
 Watching for the Leading Symptoms.
 A Professional Secret.
 "What are some of the most important drugs and their appications!" said leading physician as he repeated the reporters inter- rogatory. "Why, you will be surprised,n D he said, 'when make the statement that not over a dozen of the hundred and odd drugs upon the shelves of any city prescription store are in general use among the profession or considered important in combating disease. No need for astonishment, it is fact; and my experience from day to day, based upon observations in an extended practice, leads me to the conclusion that there is only one drug g-quinine-which can be relied on to produce uniform results. Quinine approaches specific more closely than any other remedy known to medical practice. All other drugs vary, and at times to an alarming extent, in the results produced by their administration, but quinine is very nearly infallible in the treatment of that class of disease popularly termed malarial, and about one-half the mor- tality of the world may be traced to those diseases. In fact in all cases of blood poison ing this drug is the favorite. In the valley of the Loire, in France; along certain DOT tions of the Thames river, in England; the Roman Campagna and the Pontine marshes, in Italy, the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and the mangrove swamps of the tropical regions, where malaria is endemic, the continued use of quinine is an absolute necessity, and from these regions no dire results have ever been recorded against it. Is there quinine habita l have never met but one case. The effect of the drug is not speedy enough to have its use deteriorate into a habit.
 'Next to quinine iodide and bromide of potassium lay tribute on the profession, al- though their action at times is sadly cratic The former with iron constitutes the basis of blood purifiers. so called, although such a thing as blood purifier, in the popular ac- equation of the term, is unknown in medi- cine. It exists only on the euro all placards of the patent medicine compounder, and in the materia medica of the quack. Iodide of potassium acts as an absorbent in the blood, and its efficacy as remover of impurities is brought about in that way.
 Bromide of potassium and with it chloral are used principally in the treatment of ner- vous diseases. They lessen the flow of blood to the brain, moderate nervous activity, and calm exciting emotions, producing state of mental rest. Thus they are used largely in the treatment of the insane, and in cases of mental exhaustion. Digitalis is probably en- titled to the next place from it's importance as heart tonic. We appeal to it in cases of weakness of the heart, and in most cases of diseases affecting that organ, although its use does not cover every species of heart dis ease. Bismuth and pepsin are the remedies the profession considers the most efficacious in the treatment of the internal organs of 6IOrpCfinn of the stomach and bowels, while the latter is supposed to supply the lack of acid, which is one of the instruments by which food is digested in the stomach. In surgery car bolic acid and iodoform are the principal drugs used. The acid acts as disinfectant, the other has important properties in heal ing.
 ''Drugs," the doctor continued, "and their administration is the least arduous part of a physicians business; the great field that exer- cises skill and acknowledges ability in the profession and out of it lies in the determin- ing of disease or the study of its symptoms. Here is where the physician pauses. We only know disease by its symptoms, and when we are called to the bedside of the sick person our energies are bent to discover the most prominent existing symptoms, and, knowing these, the great traditions of the science and our own experiences point out the remedies that are applicable And here let me say that there is scarcely such a thing as wrong treatment, so often heard assailing members of tho profession when they fail to effect speedy cure. AS I have said, we always treat the leading symptoms first. This is the invariable and only rule that can guide us, but frequently the drugs that have done most efficacious work before in combating exactly the same symptoms appear perfectly useless in the present case; this is owing, of course, to the existence of the latent symptoms which will determine the nature of the dis ease, and for which we are compelled to wait unless dismissed in the meantime as incom- petent in the opinion of the patient or his friends, and Q new man called"
 sDo many people -cors,,lt you, doctor, whose ills are imaginary2" interrogated the scribe. The doctor smiled and relighted his cigar.
 ''In answering your inquiry" he said, Git will be necessary for me to unload profes- sional secret, but I guess it has leaked out be- fore this. Many of our office consultations are with people who are laboring under the apprehension that they are about to become invalids. Why, case of that character left my office not on hour ago. He is a railroad engineer, and thought his kidneys were affected, an idea produced, I suppose, by an OCCdSlOllSil peaAA III CHo uuuoCIcS Ol buo DdCk caused by the continued position which those men are compelled to assume. gave him O prescription and told him he would be all right, although he didn't need it any more than you or I. I'll guarantee, though, that that prescription, which will fill a large bottle, will not hurt him, for it's nothing but a little syrup and water, with sufficient sarsa- parilla added to color it. Why did I give it to him? Because if I told him that he needed no medicine he would in all probability go to some other physician 'who knew his business and get the worth of his money, as he would term it. By giving him that prescription have saved him another fee. I used to tell such people when first began practice that they needed no medicine, but I found that my honest advice was attributed to ignorance on my part of their hypothetical disease. Strange, isn't it, but it is fact, that the majority of persons who visit physician want something for their money, and gener- ally the more medicine they can get and, asa consequence, the larger their druggists bill becomes the better you please them"
 The Kings Head.
 The kings head was first used as one of the hall marks on English silver in 1794. The story is that George III, having attended dinner at Goldsmith's hall, was greatly inn pressed with the rich display of plate used on that occasion. His majesty was in need of money, it being just after the close of the